Enid Blackburn Trophy goes to Andrea again

Bowling News

The 19th running of the ENID BLACKBURN TROPHY 20 years since the 1st in 2004 took place at LINTHWAITE HALL on Sunday 9th June.

The weather gods weren’t kind but that didn’t deter the 32 bowlers & the many spectators who took shelter in the club facilities. The field consisted of 15 County bowlers and the pick of the 1st Round saw 4 all County games with CHLOE HIRST beating previous winner, JASMINE GANT and JULIE MALLINSON overcoming CHLOE GHAFFAR in the 1st quarter.

In the 4th quarter, 6 time winner & bowler in form, ANDREA BUCKLEY beat 2021 winner, LINDA GLEDHILL & two time winner, SUZY LADBROOKE beat LILY HESLING.

By around 1pm, the 2nd round was underway  with another 4 all COUNTY games which saw wins for JACQUIE HAIGH, KAREN HILL, ANDREA BUCKLEY & KAREN GANT.

The quarter finals saw a 21-14 win for CHLOE HIRST over JACQUIE HAIGH and the defending champion, LORRAINE HIRST defeating TRACEY SINGLETON, 21-16 in the top half. The surprise semi-finalist was JILL NELSON who beat KAREN HILL, 21-18 and by now, ANDREA BUCKLEY was in the groove dispatching KAREN GANT to 2.

ANDREA stopped JILL’s run in the semi final whilst the game of the day saw CHLOE lose to LORRAINE 21-20 to give us a repeat of the 2022 final. This time, ANDREA came out ahead and took her 7th title and her 3rd in successive weekends. She may have to pop to IKEA for a new trophy cabinet before next weekend’s County match.

Please find the full results from the Last 16 onwards and a photo of the winner & organisers kindly provided by the on site reporters. As ANDREA has already qualified for the BCGBA CHAMPION of CHAMPIONS via the YORKSHIRE MERIT, it means the Reserve list is triggered.

I am grateful to Julie and Steve Mallinson for providing the photo and all the results as they happened on Sunday afternoon and to Dave Parkin for coordinating that work and then compiling the report and colourful table above. Look out for Dave's Ladies & Gents Champion-of-Champions qualifying updates at the end of the month.